Built a wireless power kit for Schlage Encode - Looking for feedback

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1

I work at Wi-Charge, a company that does wireless power (mostly for commercial stuff – displays, sensors, access control).

Over the last year we kept having the same conversation with people using Schlage Encode: batteries die at bad times, battery life is unpredictable, automations break when the lock is offline, etc.

So we prototyped a hardware kit specifically for Encode / Encode Plus:

  • small transmitter on the wall → sends safe infrared power towards the door
  • drop-in module inside the lock instead of the AA holder → turns that light into power
  • the lock runs 24/7 off that, with a small backup cell inside the module if the beam is blocked

We’ve now turned it into a pre-order product and I’d like feedback from people who actually live with smart-home setups:

  • What would you want to know before you’d even consider something like this?
  • Top concerns: safety / warranty / reliability / interference / something else?

Here’s the current landing page: Wi-Charge | Schlage Encode Wireless Power Kit

If this feels too product-y for the sub, happy to remove. Just trying to sanity-check whether this is “finally, yes” or “no one asked for this”.

Encode with wireless power receiver
Encode with wireless power receiver1024×765 96.7 KB

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Why not a solar cell, rechargeable battery version? What research led to infra-red lamp beam and converter on the door? Seems to of been made more complicated than needed to be.

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Not everyone want a bright spot light pointed at their door lock.
IR light is invisible to the eye.

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Was talking using ambient light available that some might have available. Not a spot light.

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Their website holds some interesting info about this :+1:

BTW:
I’m still trying to find a solar panel of decent size that can provide decent output when placed indoors - would be grateful if you have a link for such a panel on Amazon, eBay, or even AliExpress.

6

Ambient light require a pretty big solar array to power anything that both transmit and listen for RF signals.
Adding a motor to it increase the needed a lot more.

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as @chairstacker said, there’s a lot more info on wi-charge.com but the simple answer is solar won’t provide enough power. In a way, our tech is similar to “regular” solar only instead of the sun we have an infrared laser and our PV cell is multiples more efficient than an average solar panel

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